Disconnecting switch



Feb. 16, 1932. A. RAMSI-:Y

DISCONNECTING SWITCH Filed May 31. 1927 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 jfs Feb. 16, 1932. A RAMsEY 1,845,188

DISCQNNECTING swITcH 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 81, 1927 Feb. 16, 1932. A, RAMSEY 1,845,188

' DIsCoNNEoTING SW1-TCH Filed May 51. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 16, y 1932 ALLAN RAMSE'Y, OF CHICAGO, ILLINIS,

ASSI-GNOR, BY MESNE iASSIGNMENTS, *TO

WARE Y w k.

DisooN'NEorrNe SWITCH Application iiled May 31,

' -This invention relatesl'toele'ctric switches,

particula'rlyto disconnecting or air `breaky switches, `and its object is theiprovision of a generally improved', simplified, inexpensive andrugged .construction that 'may be readily and positively openedregardless of adverse influences tending to hold it closed and in which'positive closingand good Contact is assured.

yThe present invention provides. generally improved lmeans for imparting a relatively great or powerful initial or preliminary breaking or opening force, which means is 'characterized byits simplicityand ruggedness, and by the absence ofadditional joints orv thelike in the swinging blade member.

'The inventionnavoids any difficulties en` countered.,` as well as vthe-'necessity for any additional joint protecting precautions where the blade member is provided witha pivoted load insubstantially the manner inwhich other 'air break switches are employed. y

4In a lparticular embodiment V`of ,the present' invention, I employ amovable Contact or clip member with the movable arm or blade member, catching'the movable contact with the movable arm or blade member in its closing movement-and `thenbringing the two parts endwise intoengagement. ,Each part requires onlyya simple movement, as distin gu-isnedfrom a compound jointed action, and a positive closing action of relatively great torceis provided with al relatively'poweri'ul endwise `sliding vengagement between the movable arm or blade andcentact members.

rlhe clipy or Contact membertends to swing 1927. .serial No.. 195,170.

intoopen position under the .ii'iluence'of a suitable spring and in operating the switch from closed to open position the/blade and clip or contactmembers swing together until the blade is withdrawn from the clip, at whichfpoint the Ablade or switch member leaves the clip and moves independently to full open position. After the blade or switch member leaves the clip,.the clip mayinove a. few degrees urtherunder the influenceof the spring, this eXtra movement of the clip or Contact member yguarding .against the blade or` switch member notmaking proper entry into the clip member whenthe switch is closed. Y y

'In operating the switchfrom open to closed position, `the blade .or switch member is swung in the kopposite direction until'thev blade Imember engages orenters the clip, whereupon, it picks up the clip member and swings itwith the blade,bringing the Clip and j blade members endwise into engage'- ment with a` relatively great or powerful `force through the endwise components of the closing angular movements of the/clip and blade members.l lThis action slides'thelblade Aand clip or UContact members positivelyinto good contact. y

' The clip or contact member maybe housed against thev weather andV particularly against sleet and iceaccumulations, bya suitable hood or housing which may operate not only to protect the clip or contact memberybut 'also to cover and protect'the adjacentend of the bladeor switch membery when the-same'is-in engagement with the clip or contactmember.

The present invention also provides arrimprovedform of clipor contact member.

In order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the Vmanner of constructing and operating the present invention, I shall now describe the particular embodiments ofithe in'vention'selected lfor illustrationin the accompanying drawings, in which Fig; lis a 'front elevational view of a` switch embodying theY present invention;

Fig. '2 is a side elevationalview ofthe same;

Fig. ,3 is a detaillongitudinal section through the clip kor contact member taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1 and showing the mounting therefor, and one form ofspring arrangement for swinging the clip or con,- tact member to the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 1;

Fie'. 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 transversely across the axis of swinging movement of the clip or contact member;

Fig. 5 Vis 'a transverse detailed section through the free end of the clip or'contact invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, 5 designates the relatively7 stationary insulator upon the outer end of which the Contact or clip member of the unit is mounted and G designates the rotatable or rocking insulator upon the outer'end of which the blade member is y suitably attached to turn with the insulator 6. The clip or contact member is pivoted on the outer end of the stationary insulator 5.

' The insulators 5 and 6 may be of any suitable or preferred form. The insulator 5 is sho-wn asmounted on a post support 8 having an enlarged flanged end 9 iXedly mounted upon a suitable base 10. Rigidly secured upon the outer end of the insulator 5 is a iitting 12l which may be in the form ofa cap or itting, and rigidly secured to the outer end of the insulator, cap 12 at 13, is a bearing member 14, as shown in .J ig. 8. The bearing member 14 has a lateral arm 15 and secured in the bearing member co-axially with the insulator 5 as by means of a pin 16 passing diametrically therethrough, and through an integral hub 17 on the bearing member 14 is a Y post 18 upon which the contact or clip member' is rotatably liournaled. The surface of the bearing member 14 adjacent the cap member 12 may be relieved centrally at 19.

The contact or clip member comprises a pair of similar ribbon-like clips or plate members 20, 20, which may be of bus copper or other suitable material. The clip members 20, 2O have registering apertures 21 through which the pivot post 18 loosely passes and the ends of the clips 2O which cooperate with the switch arm or blade member are spread at 22 and re-curved inwardly at 23, rounded at 24 to guide the switch arm or blade member properly therebetween and with their free ends terminating at 25 (Fig. 8). The

re-curved ends of the clips 20 may be pro-- Lafraise vided with longitudinal cuts 26 (Fig. 6) for increasing the springiness of the contacting ends of the clips, which, due to their formation and inherent resiliency, are adapted to yieldingly receive the switch arm or blade member 28 between them and the inturned ends of the' clips are pressed 4yieldingly and into firm and good contact with the adjacent end of the blade member over the entire con'- tacting portions thereof.y

Adjacent the pivot post 18 tl'ie clip members 2O are secured by cap screws 29 to the closed outer or upper side 30 of a spring hou1sing 32, the opposite side of which is open at 33. The opposite ends 84 of the clips 2O extend from the opposite side of the pivot 18 and suitableexible conductor means 35, which may be in the form of suitable copper braid, are connected between and transmit the current from the relatively stationary terminal to the swingable clips 20.

rlhe conductor means is shown as clamped at one end between the clip members 20 by suitable nuts and bolts 37, and at its opposite end between the lat-eral arm 15 and a terminal plate 38 by nuts and bolts 39. A suitable soclreted terminal member 40 is secured to the terminal plate 38 and one of the line wires or conductors 42 is suitably connected'with the terminal member 40.

Thev spring housing 32 is rotatable upon the pivot post 18 with its open side presented toward and closed by the bearing member 14 and preferably with clearance therebetween, as shown, the bearing member 14 completing the enclosure of the spring 48. The housing 32 has an outwardlyV arched strap 44 through which the outer end of the postl 18 passes and has threaded engagement with anut 45 which may be threaded uprinto engagement with the strap 44 to secure the housing 32 in place upon the post 18 without binding the clips or other parts carried by the rotatable housing.

)Vithin the housing 32 is a spiral spring 48 having one end anchored at 49 4) to the stationary post 18 and its opposite end turned at 50 over a shoulder or internal lug 52 on the housing32, the expansion tendency of the spring 50 tending to turn the housing 32 and clip members and other parts carried thereby in a clockwise direction as viewed in F 4. The housing 32 has an external lug 54 adapted to engage a fixed stop 55 (Fig. 4) to limit the turning of the housing 32 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, in which direction the clip members 2O are swung to open position. Engagement of the lug 54 with the fixed stop 55 limits the opening movement of the clip members under the influence ci' the spring 48.

rEhe housing 82 is also provided with a lug r abutment 54 which engages the stop 55 andlimits the closing movement of the clip, that is, the engagement of the lug 54 with las ietf

m4a1-se the stop limits the "rocking or turning movementin the opposite direction.

,F or the purpose of protecting the contact ends of the clip` members 20 and the adjacent contact end of the-switch or blade member 28 upon. cooperation or engagement of the sametherewith, the clip or contact members 20 are provided with .a housing or'hood 60 comprising a pair of similar-and complenientary housing parts 62 dished to surround andvenclose the re-curved contact ends of the clips 2O and having abutting marginal langes-63 (Fig. 2). The housing members 62 have extensions `64at the closed end of the housing and. these extensions are clamped by bolts 65 to the clip members 20. At the yoppositeend the housingzGO has an opening 68 extending substantially entirely across the same and of a width greater than the width offthe blade member28 to receive the end of the blade member and accommodate the closing yand opening action which occurs. This greater dimension of the opening 68 is shown in Fig. 6, and in the opposite directionthis opening 68is, as shown in Fig. 8,

preferably dimensioned to just receivethe thickness of the blade member 28 and to guide the blade member properly between the lie-curved free ends 23 of the clip members 20. 'Flared diagonally from the edges delining the lesser dimension of the opening 68, as shown in Fig. 3, are ilanges 70 defining a iiared guide mouth for receiving' and guiding the end of the switch or blade member 28 into the clip housing and betweenA the clip members 20. The ends of the housing mem-'1 bers 62 may be clamped together at opposite sides ofthe opening 68 by bolts 72 between and from which the blade member28 passes into and from engagement with theclip members 20.

Suitable spring clips'75 may be 'clamped by bolt and nut means 76 (Fig. 3) with their free ends spread at 7 7 over the free ends Ofxthe clips 20, tending to yieldingly close these clips upon the blade member 28. 1

The switch or blade arm or member 28 may be formed of a bar ofjbus copper or other y suitable material suitably dimensioned and with the edge which is presented to and engages theclip and hood in closing beveled into kone end at 78, as shown in F ig. (S.

`The blade member 28 may be suitably trussed at 79, for strength, suitable spacers 80 being provided and the mounted end ot theblade. being rigidly attached by bolts 8l tofa suitable cap fitting 82 rigidly mounted upon the outer end of the insulator 6 to turn or rock therewith. The other line conductor 83, the circuit between which and the conductor 42the unit disclosed is adapted for opening and closing, is connected to a socketed terminal 84 which may be, in turn, con- 4lnected through a terminal 85, and suitable flexible conductor means v86t'o, the end ofthe bladevmembert28. f

The insulator 6` is shown as mountedupona rotatable or vrocking post 87 which` passes through the base 10 and is ijou'rnale'd ttor switches by which afgangor group of two or f three, oreven more, switch .units of this sort may be operated in unison. Three switch units so connectedgare particularly adapted for opening and closing a three-phase circuit, as well understood in the art.

l'With the parts in closed position, .as shown in vfull lines in Fig. 1,'in operating the-,switch from closed to open'position, the rocking insulator 6 is turned by means ofthefarm V89 and connecting link 92 fromthe operating means (not shown), turning oraswinging the blade 28-with itvtoward the dotted `line position atfBV i-irFig. l. The'swingable clip means swings ywith the blade aboutthe pivot 18 toward the dotted line position Al in .'F ig. l, the blade member and clip or contactlmeans moving together until the blade is ywithdrawn from the clip means and hood,atwhich point the blade leaves the Vclipand may swingindependently to-a positionr90 degrees from its starting pointrfas shown in dotted lines -at B i-n-Fig. 1. After the blade leavesthe clip and hood,- the clip may swing-afewdegrees further to the left under the influence ofthe spiral spring 48 and until the lugV 54 engages the stop 55 this extra movementpguarding against the blade-not makinginroper entry iilito the clip housing when the `switch is c ose In operating the --switch fromiiopen fto the same therewith,- the clip means and bla e" member are @brought endwise into z engage- It will Abe,

Vrocking -ment The sliding engagement' between the lclip members and the cooperating end ofthe blade member provides awiping, self-cleaning Contact, and relatively perfect engagement between the contact members and blade member is assured. The endwise movement of the contact and blade members into engagement is the vertical component of the swinging or angular movement of the contact and. blade members about the aXis of the pivot'18 and the aXis of the rotatable insulator 6, respectively,which gives a relativelygreat or powerful closing force for positively closingk the switch regardless of adverse influences tending to oppose such closing.

Similarly, in opening the switch, the endwise" separation of the contact and blade members is the vertical component of movement of the angular movement of the contact and blade members, giving a powerful breaking lforce for positively breaking any bind in the engagement of the blade and contact members due to static friction, corrosion, ice or sleet accumulations or other cause.

This is particularly advantageous in disconnecting switches which are frequentiy large and heavy and frequently have considerable friction and inertia and which are used a great deal in out-door substation equipment installations where they are subject to the weather and particularly to ice and sleet accumulations and which are frequently not operated for long periods of time. Switches of this sort frequently carry considerable current and particularly relatively high tension current. They are adapted for dividing transmission lines into Vsections to facilitate inspection and repairs and are commonly placed in circuit with circuit breakers and other apparatus for use in isolating the apparatus with which they are associated to permit working thereon with safety.

The spring means 48 moves the clip'or contact means to 'the 'open dotted line position A (Fig. l) and this contact Orclip means is moved to closed position by the co-operation of the blade member28 therewith and against the tension of the springmeans 48. The blade member 28 may be limited in its closing movement in any suitable manner to position the parts as shown in full lines in4 Fig. 1, as well understood in the art, and the opening movement of the blade member 28 may also be limited in any suitable orvpreferred manner. v

vIn the embodiment of the invention shown in. Fig. 7, the same action is employed, Ybut instead of having a housed Contact or clip, the contact or clip means is open and the movable switch member or arm 28 has a. pair of fingers 95 and-96 which compel meshing of the cooperating Contact means of the switch in substantially the samel manner.

The contact or clip means 20 is pivoted at 18 upon the outer end of thestationary or relatively fixed insulator 5, asbefore, but instead of the housed spiral spring for throwing the contact or clip means 20 in the direction of the arrow C (Fig. 7) about the pivot 18, a spring 48 is employed. This spring 4:8 is shown as secured at 97 to the insulator cap or iitting l2 and at 98 to the Contact or clip means 20 and tends to swing or urge' the Contact or clip means 20 in the direction of the` arrow C about the pivot 18.` The free ends of the arms 95 and 96 may be provided with suitable rollers 100 and 102.

As before, in operating the switch from closed to open position, the blade member and clip means 20 swing together until the blade member is withdrawn from the clip means and the clip may be moved a few degrees further to the left to guard against the blade not making proper entry into the clip when the switch is closed. The swing of the contact or clip means in the direction of the arrow C, as well as in the opposite direction, may be limited by suitable stop means, as berore.

ln operating the switch from open to closed portion, the blade member is swung toward cicsed position until the arm 95 picks up the clip 2.0 and rotates it with the blade until the clip and blade are brought into line. The opening and closing forces are, as before, the lineal components of the angular movement of the clip means 20 and switch member 28', providing relatively powerful opening and ciosing forces to assure proper closing and positive opening, regardless of adverse lintiuences. ln closing the embodiment of Fig. 7, the contact or clip means 20 and the cooperating end of the blade member 28 are guided endwise into contacting engagement by the rollers or outer ends of the arms 95 and 96. i

The spring clips (Fig. 3) are shown as clamped between the Contact members 20, 20. The bolts [2 (Figs. 8 and 8) may be provided with suitaele spacers between which the switch arm enters into engagement with the clip or contact member.

I claim ln combination, a pair of clip members having their Contact engaging ends spread and re-curved inwardly, registering openings in said clip members for receiving a.. pivot pin, a protecting hood mounted upon said clip members and covering the spread ends thereof, and a tared mouth on said hood for direct' ing a. coogjjerating switch arm into position between the ire-curved ends of said clip members.

.ln witness whereof, T hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of May, 1927.

ALLAN RAMSEY. 

